Action needed after alleged City centre attack - The Munster Express

Action needed after alleged City centre attack General Stories The Munster Express

There have been calls for an increased on-the-ground Garda presence in Waterford City centre over the summer months, following an alleged city centre attack.

The call, by Cllr. Adam Wyse, comes after a man posted on social media claiming to have seen a group of teenagers assault a worker in a popular fast food restaurant in the Apple Market area of the City Centre.

“What I’ve witnessed on John’s Street Waterford tonight was disgusting,” said the post online. “A staff member…being assaulted by a group 14-16 year olds.”

“What was more concerning was the An Garda Síochána response time,” the post continued. “It was nearly 50 minutes before any Garda presence was seen. Kids obviously long gone. Actually scary for the staff who work on Waterford’s main Street.”

Cllr. Wyse was tagged in the post. Cllr. Wyse spoke to The Munster Express following the incident. Although he acknowledged the Gardaí have a lot to be dealing with at this time of year, he called for an increased presence in the City Centre during the summer.

“I just spoke to a guy who works in the area that notified me of the incident,” Cllr. Wyse explained. “He said the guy who was attacked seemed okay when he left but I’ve seen a few incidents myself on video and social media in the area lately.

“It’s very frustrating after all the great work the businesses have done there to make the area nice and welcoming that some people are dragging it down.”

Cllr. Wyse went on to explain that he has witnessed anti-social behaviour in that area himself, and that while he did not want to blow the issue out of proportion, action should be taken to ensure the area remains safe and welcoming.

“I’ve walked through the area myself with my fiancé and have been shouted at and jeered at, as I’m sure many have. I’ve had older people, parents and women comment to me that they don’t feel safe in some areas of the city,” Cllr. Wyse said.

“I don’t want to make this sound like Waterford has a huge problem but there are in many cases young people hanging around causing trouble and making people feel uneasy,” he continued.

“The Gardai are often dealing with a lot of serious issues and I have the utmost respect for the job they do but I would call on them to increase their on foot patrols in the city centre for the rest of the summer to try and deter this anti-social behaviour.

“The new Gardaí recently announced will hopefully help and they will be on patrol soon.”

The age of those perpetrating the anti-social behaviour mean that parents are also involved, according to Wyse.

“Parents also have a role to play here as they must know what their kids are getting up to as many times, I’ve seen issues it’s people under 18 that are acting out,” he explained.

“They’re in public spaces that are for everyone and need to act correctly and if they won’t then the Gardaí need to act to ensure businesses, workers and residents can enjoy our city safely.”

AARON KENT Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme - Munster Express Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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